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Submitted by
Matthias
a Cross Country Rider
from Stuttgart, Germany
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | street | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Strengths: | VERY FAST!!! great grip on dry streets, lasts long (Speedmax HDK) | | Weaknesses: | low grip in corners on wet street, difficult to drive off-road at high speeds (corners!!) | | Similar Products Used: | Ritchey SpeedMax Alpha/Omega | | Bike Setup: | hardtail, Shimano XT, Magura HS22 brakes | | Bottom Line: | For streets there's no better tire, also very useful for cross-country on hard tracks; very difficult to drive on loose ground (sand, gravel), beginners shouldn't use it off-road | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Troy Nicholson
a Weekend Warrior
from Athens, Ohio
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | anything | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | light weight, look good, good for on campus and light off road | | Weaknesses: | not a whole lot of grip | | Bottom Line: | cheap, last long time | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Klaus Winstel
a Racer
from Stuttgart, Germany
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | All in Black Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Purchased with bike | | Strengths: | Roll very fast! Lightwight! Good grip on many tracks for a semislick (except gravel and sand). | | Weaknesses: | Problematic cornering on gravel and sand. Price! Have a high rate of wear. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer DusterPro, IRC Mythos XC Kevlar, WTB Velociraptor | | Bike Setup: | Fully, Bergwerk Moonraker, Acros Mamba AIR, Magura Luise Diskbrake at the front, Magura HS33 Brake at the rear | | Bottom Line: | I'm just drive this tire on long distance races (about 50-80 kilometers), because it's lightwight and fast rolling. Mostly you have all conditions on this races (asphalt, stony, mud, roots), and the conditions are more difficult than cross country races (difficult uphills and fast downhills).
Normally (out of race) i prefer the IRC Mythos XC Kevlar, because you can drive faster on corners, and have more fun on downhills - but overall the speedmax is faster!
I'm surprised by this tire, the grip is much better i think (also in mud). I had Alpha on front and (turn around) on back. If you thing about the weakness of this tire (you have to slow down speed at gravel corners!) you can ride it very well.
On the other side there is no response before the tire loses grip - it slips away and you get down! So beginners shoudn't use this tires. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Claus
a Racer
from Bonn, Germany
Date Reviewed: September 29, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Flims Rockfall, Laax, Switzerland | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | H&S Bike Discount | | Strengths: | Low rolling resistance, pretty smooth and comfortable rolling (WCS version), light-weight enough, little inclination for punctures (at least the WCS version hasn't), good traction even on muddy ground (what's still a wonder to me, even after 2 years of using this tire). Doesn't accumulate dirt. | | Weaknesses: | Little control and braking power on loose ground like gravel and sand. High priced. | | Similar Products Used: | IRC Mythos Slick Kevlar. Not used that much in heavy conditions, but it seems to roll rougher. | | Bike Setup: | Stevens 8.1.2 race, so far. Replaced by Stevens M9 pro disc next week. | | Bottom Line: | My preferred tube used from spring to autumn. Though pretty nervous on loose ground it's the perfect tire for marathons and other races. Positive properties compensate the demand for high driving skills. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Mission Trails | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$24.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Price, low rolling resistance, fast | | Weaknesses: | Very specialized tire. Anything other than road or extremely firm hardpack is asking too much of the minimal tread. Front is not suitable for technical descents. | | Similar Products Used: | Michelin Wildgripper XLS/Front S | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Schwinn Moab 1 | | Bottom Line: | Unfortunately, I have to blame the worst crash I've had in a long time on these tires. Going down a steep, technical descent under continuous braking, my front tire washed out faster than I ever thought was possible. I went from being upright and in full control to flat on my side in about 1/8 of a second. I was shocked--and bloody--and I couldn't believe how quickly the front tire washed out on me. All because the front tire was a little more weighted than usual (though I did have my rear-end hanging off the back of the saddle) and there were a few grains of gravelly sand on that spot of the trail. That's all it took. I noticed throughout the ride that on descents of any speed, the front tire tracked terribly and became extremely sketchy.
I have to say I was impressed with how fast the tires were and the lack of rolling resistance, particularly on the road. However, I would advise anyone considering these tires that unless your rides are 100% on road surfaces or extremely firm, road-like hardpack, without a grain of sand or gravel, and with no particularly steep descents, these tires can let you down without a moment's notice.
| Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sjoerd Theeuwen
a Cross Country Rider
from Venlo,Netherlands
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | street ,park ,off-road. | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Strengths: | the slick,very many grip on hard sand-tracks,works very well on streets when it rains. | | Weaknesses: | Sand stays a long time on it, and the profile isn't very well because when at sharp corners you may fall because the tire "leads his own life" sometimes. | | Similar Products Used: | many | | Bike Setup: | BMX 20" weels | | Bottom Line: | I think It's a very good tire for Beginners, because when a well-trainted biker use the tire he can't make all the moves with the tire because at some moments the tire "leads his own life" and that can be catatrophic at some places. And beginners almost don't make very difficult moves. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan
a Weekend Warrior
from Modesto, CA US of A
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | One that makes me ride faster than I can think | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$24.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo (Price is for the set; front and rear specific: Alpha & Omega) | | Strengths: | Light, Fast, and great for when you're on the road too. They grip hard pack better than what I should expect from my tires. | | Weaknesses: | Obviously they don't have much bite in the thick stuff, but I try to be smarter than my tires and not ride them where they aren't supposed to be ridden. | | Similar Products Used: | black, round, rubber tires with knobs on them. | | Bike Setup: | Giant XTC DS1, w/Hayes Hydro's and overweight rider. | | Bottom Line: | I ride XC in the foothills and mountains of Northern CA. Mostly dry hardpack and forest floor stuff, I like the uphill climbs, and the downhill technicals.
These tires do more than what they should. I am totally surprised that they hold on to what they hold on to, when they are holding on to it. Mortal tires should have slipped and sent me hurtling through the air long before these decide to continue to hold the line I choose at the speed I choose! Haven't tried them in the wet, and won't. I also like them on the road, they don't make me feel like I'm wasting power on noisy, flexing knobs...I too am going to buy another set for the future.
Honestly folks, these tires have yet to let me know that I'm going too fast and turning too tight. They have expanded my limits as well as my speed and confidence!
With the price at Supergo, how can you go wrong?
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Rochester, NY, US
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Tryon Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$24.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Cheap, excellent on road, virtually no rolling resistance. | | Weaknesses: | If there's rain in the forecast within the next week, change tires. | | Similar Products Used: | Ritchey Z-max, Michelin Wildgripper Comp S | | Bike Setup: | Homegrown Cannondale | | Bottom Line: | If you're going to ride where it gets wet avoid. Got stuck in a thunderstorm and would have been better walking. Terrrible on wet hardpack. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bay Area MTBGuy
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, Ca
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Wilder Ranch, Enchanted Loop | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Some shop in Santa Cruz | | Strengths: | Looks, speed | | Weaknesses: | None that I've seen, as long as you know what conditions you'll be riding in. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Team Master & Control | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight with XTR and Marzocchi Z.2 Atom 80 (my bike is SWEEEET!) | | Bottom Line: | There's no question that these are a "dry conditions" tire. Don't even bother to buy them if you live somewhere that it rains often. But you have to remember that Ritchey lives right here in the Bay Area, and we get NO!!! rain from May through November. Just bone-dry hardpack and dust. I've been riding these bad boys for some time now, and they are fast and hook up tight. So if you remember where they're made for, or want a faster tire for race day (and it's NOT supposed to rain! ;)... then these are the tires for you. I'm about to buy a few more sets just in case they stop making them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Haywood Jablowme
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Middle Peak | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Roll EXTREMELY FAST!! Corner great, lightweight and look great. Oh yeah, the roll fast too..... | | Weaknesses: | Not for the novice rider!! Get sketchy on loose gravel (as you would expect with this type of tire!) not good in any type of wet type of conditions. Wear pretty fast. Not made for any real technical downhilling. | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Revolt, Specialized Team control/master, Tioga Psycho (ie; Piece of cr@p!!!) | | Bike Setup: | Manitou Mars1 Fork, Mavic 217 CD Ceramic SUP wheels, LX/XT Drivetrain, 7005 Aluminum Hardtail, straight bars with shorty barends. | | Bottom Line: | These tires are amazing when used for they are intended for!! These are NOT FOR THE WEAK!!!! They work fantastic on the hardpack and dry conditions. They hook up great in the turns and climb great. They roll extremely fast and make pedaling on all surfaces much easier. It feels like I am in a lower gear when I ride these tires. Once they start to wear they lose their bite. These tires tend to break loose under braking on the downhills. The back end of the bike will slide if you don't watch what you are doing. I really like the tires but I think that would rather have a tire with a bit more nob on them. Again it is my fault though, these are XC RACING TIRES and not your everyday trail cruisers. NOTE: IF YOU WANT TO BEAT YOUR FRIENDS ON A DRY COURSE....BUY THESE TIRES!! I'll give 'em four flaming turdballs for value and a mighty 5 flaming turdballs overall!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Haywood Jablowme
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Middle Peak | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Roll EXTREMELY FAST!! Corner great, lightweight and look great. Oh yeah, the roll fast too..... | | Weaknesses: | Not for the novice rider!! Get sketchy on loose gravel (as you would expect with this type of tire!) not good in any type of wet type of conditions. Wear pretty fast. Not made for any real technical downhilling. | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Revolt, Specialized Team control/master, Tioga Psycho (ie; Piece of cr@p!!!) | | Bike Setup: | Manitou Mars1 Fork, Mavic 217 CD Ceramic SUP wheels, LX/XT Drivetrain, 7005 Aluminum Hardtail, straight bars with shorty barends. | | Bottom Line: | These tires are amazing when used for they are intended for!! These are NOT FOR THE WEAK!!!! They work fantastic on the hardpack and dry conditions. They hook up great in the turns and climb great. They roll extremely fast and make pedaling on all surfaces much easier. It feels like I am in a lower gear when I ride these tires. Once they start to wear they lose their bite. These tires tend to break loose under braking on the downhills. The back end of the bike will slide if you don't watch what you are doing. I really like the tires but I think that would rather have a tire with a bit more nob on them. Again it is my fault though, these are XC RACING TIRES and not your everyday trail cruisers. NOTE: IF YOU WANT TO BEAT YOUR FRIENDS ON A DRY COURSE....BUY THESE TIRES!! I'll give 'em four flaming turdballs for value and a mighty 5 flaming turdballs overall!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR, USA
Date Reviewed: March 11, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Fat Tire Farm | | Strengths: | Light, fast rolling, corners like they're on rails and they look pretty cool ;) | | Weaknesses: | Rarity? | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Revolt Super-X | | Bike Setup: | Klein Adept | | Bottom Line: | Note: This review is for the Ritchey SpeedMax WCS (blue kevlar) Alpha (front) and Omega (rear) 1.9" tires.
Trying to find this specific set of tires was a serious pain in the ass for me. But eventually, I found the last pair at a local shop for $50 each. I'm tempted to buy a few more pairs just in case Ritchey stops making them for some stupid reason ;)
I wanted a very fast rolling hardpack XC tire and I found it with these. I absolutely love these tires. They corner so well, it's almost scary.
I actually put the rear tire on backwards so it would roll faster. Doing it that way pretty much kills its traction on muddy hills, but since I don't ride in mud, who cares? :)
If you want a super-fast rolling, hardpack, great cornering, XC tire and you're smart enough to realize that these tires aren't meant for super messy, slippery nastiness then I highly recommend them. They honestly allow me to ride faster and more efficiently. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lukasz Szmit
a Cross Country Rider
from Poland
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Any which allows me to get the kick I like :-) | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$22.00 | | Purchased At: | Cyklo2, Gliwice, Poland (set of Alfa/Omega) | | Strengths: | Extremely quiet, perfect grip on wet hardpack even in turns. Light, good looking. Hard to pinch (4 pinches in 2 years). | | Weaknesses: | Wear on Omega (replaced after 6000km). Hard to take off/put on the rim | | Bike Setup: | Does not matter. | | Bottom Line: | If you look for a good all-round XC tire: these are the ones. I wouldn't buy them if I were an Really-Extreme-XC-biker - there are better ones for this purpose :-)) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jan Lorenzen
a Weekend Warrior
from Denmark
Date Reviewed: December 20, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | 40 | | Strengths: | Speeed, quiet, looks, control on hardpack | | Weaknesses: | Wear on reartire, pricey (WCS-model), traction and control on anything else than hardpack | | Similar Products Used: | IRC Mythos, Panaracer Smoke/Dart/Spike, ZMax | | Bike Setup: | RedBull Hardtail w XT, RS JudyXC+Seatpost, Magura HS33 | | Bottom Line: | I'm running the WCS-version; 2.1 front and 1.9 rear (I'm only 140lb..)
First look is nothing special; they sort of look like anything else, just blue and a little less profile. But they are fast and superquiet. I noticed the difference at once when running on tarmac getting to and back the forest. My speed went up a couple of miles just because of the tires. The same thing is true on hardpack, they just keep on running!
Control/cornering was different for me at first, but a little practice and it worked like charm. One gripe though: You have to stay sharp and in control. They are more unforgiving than normal tires when you decide to take a nap while cornering (a stupid thing to to anyway)
But it's pretty obvious why people are complaining about this tire. It's not an allround-tire. It's pretty bad on anything else than tarmac and hardpack. I have had a couple close encounters on wet/muddy stuff and the trails in Denmark are pretty flat. It wears out pretty fast on the rear and the WCS-model is pricey
As your doctor says: Use 'em as directed and you will be happy!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dave wilson
a Cross Country Rider
from tillamook, oregon, usa
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | bay city | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$32.00 | | Purchased At: | excel | | Strengths: | looked cool | | Weaknesses: | wasn't cool | | Similar Products Used: | specialized tri-cross, michelin cyclecross speed | | Bike Setup: | cyclocross commuter | | Bottom Line: | I mail ordered this trash from excel sports because they recommended them as an all-conditions on/off road commuter for a size 700 wheel. I got a pinch flat at least once a week and usually every other ride. I tried to economise & not buy the Michelin Cyclecross tires and now I've bought enough tubes & patch kits to have bought the Michelins twice over. Do not buy these for cyclocross. Tom Richey owes me 31.99 plus s&h. Zero flaming cow poopies. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cristian Georgescu
a Weekend Warrior
from Bucharest, Romania
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | Magelan | | Strengths: | SUPERFAST, good cornering, good front braking for a semislick tire (Alpha) and good traction on dry/hardpack (Omega). | | Weaknesses: | Wears too fast, especially rear (Omega). | | Similar Products Used: | Ritchey Zmax, Zmax SC | | Bike Setup: | Magellan Serpens (a hungarian brand) CrMo STXrc Ritchey OCR/Rock RST zeta | | Bottom Line: | From a performance point of view, these tires KICK ASS. FAST, good cornering, predictible. Because these tires are VERY condition-specific, some problems should be expected.
Don't try them in mud/wet or DH.
Don't expect the rear one to brake on grass/loose/dirt/mud (front brake is OK on dry).
Don't expect to climb on dust/loose/grass/wet.
Don't expect pinch-free long rides.
Don't expect years of usage.
The rear one is F1-type superslick after 3 months of heavy weekend usage. They are hard to get on/off the rim, which is strange because I'm using Rithey OCR/Rock rims !!!
Buy these if you're a serious XC rider looking for best performance on dry/hardpack. But don't buy these if you're a casual rider.
5 chilis for SpeedMax Alpha and 4 for Omega because of premature wearing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Slim Tree Shadow
a
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Bottom Line: | I'm using a 2.1 Speedmax on the back with a Michellin Wildgripper Cross Country on the front (also 2.1). This is actually a good set up for where I ride (lots and lots of sand). I immediately noticed the speed. This is a really fast tire. And it corners fairly well... although I think most of the cornering feel comes from the front tire, with the back tire doing all the digging during climbs. The tread pattern is quite good on the Speedmax and it climbs well. It would be fun to try this in like a 2.3 for the loose conditions around here. It's suprisingly good in the sand. And it handles hardpack conditions well of course (which is all there is in Oregon in the valley around August - which makes this tire really fun on trails like Goodman! Damn fast). But I live in Bend. There's lots of sand here.
I'll update later after much abuse. I still don't know how it will hold up in the long run. For now it's a great tire on the rear, and a good fit for my steel Salsa. Plus I got it for about 28 bucks. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
a Cross Country Rider
from Exeter, England
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | woodbury | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Speed, fantastic as a rear in bone dry conditions. | | Weaknesses: | This tyre will kill you or at least try on the front. it doesn't matter how experienced you are. | | Similar Products Used: | pana xc pro, smoke, dart | | Bike Setup: | db alu hardtail fill xt | | Bottom Line: | I've just got out of casulty with a broken elbow and upper arm that shattered because of this tyre, I know this tyre is "condition specific" but this is rediculous, I've only ever used it in the dry but the british weather is changes so quickly so that you start out when it's bone dry then it pi$$es down and within minutes then your screwed with this tyre on any surface, the front washes out even if you spit on it. If you pair the rear tyre with a xc pro up front your ok, but don't ever put this on the front unless your at least an elite rider. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Racer
from Canton, MI
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Island Lake | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Light
Great on hardpack or concrete
| | Weaknesses: | Dont lock the rear on grass!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Revolt | | Bike Setup: | Diamond Back Reactor BMX bike | | Bottom Line: | Uh oh, does that say BMX bike? Sure does! I have been riding mountain bikes for XC, drops, trials and dirt jumping. Thought Id try something new. It was well worth it. (I still have 4 mountain bikes)
I tried some Revolts for racing last year on my Cannondale. No matter how fast semi-slicks are I hate them. We get a very thin layer of loose sand over most hard pack here in MI inthe summer. Semis dont stick to that at all in turns.
Anyway, I got the crap scared out of me yesterday with the Speed Maxs. Coming down the hill toward my dorm, I overshot a sidewalk while doing a hard turn. I hit that grass with a little too much rear brake and spun a 360 at 20 mph. I jumped off the bike and kept going, luckily down a grass hill on foot right at my girlfriend's car. AHHHH! Almost crapped my pants. I plan to replace these with some fat 2.25" dirt tires. The Speed Maxs have a max pressure of 40 psi and that isnt good when you are doing trials and dropping off stuff. I feel my rims bottoming every time. The tires are over pressure right now at 45 psi. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael Everitt
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Speed.............. | | Weaknesses: | Rear tyre wear rate, colour | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Merida MATTS special edition | | Bottom Line: | Excellent tyre for riding around Sydney, and the surrounding countryside. Have had no problems with grip at all in summer...just don't like the colour.
Man do these tyres go fast, and boy do I like to go fast!
Offroad they have never let me down and I have ridden just about everywhere I can think of.
The rear tyre is bolding now but I have ridden excessively. Front one has held up magnificantly, almost as new. Can anyone suggest a rear tyre as fast with better wear characterisics (that's available in Australia?)
Was going to lose one chilli for the wear rate, however they have been to much fun! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Frank burrito
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, CA, USA!
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Fast! | | Weaknesses: | front tire is dangerous...overall does not inspire confidence...kinda pricey | | Similar Products Used: | serfas drifters | | Bike Setup: | trek 6k w/ cockpit mods | | Bottom Line: | Ok..assuming you change your style to one of more finesse and assuming you ride exclusively on hardpack, these tires will carve corners with the best of 'em--not to mention the fact they are really fast. But if you run into some mud, oh boy, forget about it- these things are suicidal...I had some scary moments. This is definitely not a tire for beginners. I ended up keeping the rear tire and putting on a conventional knobby on the front and the results were great. This, I believe, is the best compromise--very good speed and excellent tracking this way | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
fick
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Rosa, CA
Date Reviewed: October 19, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
any fast and windy through the trees | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Super fast , SUPER FAST Excelent tire for Hard packed trails and slick rock | | Weaknesses: |
If the trial is the least bit dusty or loose , these tires have traction like wet soap on ice. (YIKES !) | | Similar Products Used: |
Contientals XC
Pannaracer Dart & Smoke | | Bike Setup: |
S.C. Heckler, Manitou SXr, Fox Vanillia | | Bottom Line: | I thought that the trials I ride on were packed enough for these tires, I was wrong. I wouldn't call trails loose just dusty. Oh - Momma ! I know where all the Gravelly, the Leafy, and semi loose sections are. The rear tire would lockup at the slightest ( and I mean Slightest) touch of the rear break. And the frount tire would just wash out on me around the smallest turns. made for a real interesting ride.
On the nice hard surfaces though these tires ran , and ran FAST ! and they would corner like they were on rails.
If you are going to get these tires make sure they suit your terrain, and these will be the best rubbers you ever sliped on!
5 flamming fast chillies for hard pack
1 flamming Holy Sh*T theses tires don't break for any thing else
= 3 chillies | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Huang Chuntg
a Racer
from Toronto, canada
Date Reviewed: October 13, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Submarine rock, Sedona, Arizona | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
C'est tres vite, that means fast for you Americanos. Ride them for racing, hardpack, loose, sand, dry to moist but not wet. | | Weaknesses: |
Be careful when it's wet and cornering | | Bike Setup: |
conti cross country 1.5 on the tear @ 70 lb and speedmax omega wcs 1.9 on the front. | | Bottom Line: | If you want to go fast when racing and in the right conditions, you will go so fast you might have to wear a diaper. But don't be a loser and use them when it's soaking wet and then write a review like a crybaby saying they don't do work well. They also look fly....... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Murray
a Cross-Country Rider
from Toronto, Ontario
Date Reviewed: October 13, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Fast and light.
Surprisingly good traction. | | Weaknesses: |
None. | | Similar Products Used: |
None. | | Bike Setup: |
Kona Lava Dome, Z4 Bomber. | | Bottom Line: | These are my racing tires. Some people have listed poor traction as a weakness, but hey, these are semi-slicks intended for speed, so less traction has to be expected. I've raced these tires on hardpack, sand, rocks, and even in the rain. They are awesome tires, however with less traction and higher speeds you have to really pay attention to what you're doing. Ride on everybody!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Okie
a Cross-Country Rider
from Blanchard, Oklahoma
Date Reviewed: September 18, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Chicken Barn Road | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Fast and durable on hard pack surface such as a dirt road or pavement. | | Weaknesses: |
Floats in sand, and looses traction on medium grade gravel. But they are slicks, so this would be expected. | | Similar Products Used: |
none | | Bike Setup: |
Raliegh M80 with Ritchey Speedmax F&R 2.0 Kevlar | | Bottom Line: | I got mine to use on dirt roads with sandy, and gravel sections. Great tires for going fast on pavement, and dirt roads. Work perfectly for me, but I only use them in ideal conditions for them. If you are going to ride on something loose, use common sense and switch to something with traction. Ride hard, Ride Fast, Ride Ritchey Speedmax! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean C.
a Cross-Country Rider
from Houston, TX
Date Reviewed: September 10, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
OPEN ONES DAMN PARK ADVISORY BOARD! | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Follow Up Post:
Light, Fast....Fairly Versitile...STILL NOT GREEN | | Weaknesses: |
DOH!
THIS TYPE OF TIRE ABSOLUTELY SUCKS IN LOOSE GRASS, FALLEN LEAVES AND PINE NEEDLES... I'm STILL HEALING FROM A GOOD SPILL..Still Would Lik 1.9F/1/7RThey also have TOO MUCH Floatation in the SAND. | | Similar Products Used: |
WTB RACING RAPTORS...the rear one SURE SUCKED! | | Bike Setup: |
1999 GIANT XTC Se | | Bottom Line: | BOY...I like them right up until the leaves start falling....damn I hit the ground hard...it was JUST LIKE ICE...
Consider you TERRAIN...AND SEASONS CAREFULLY | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Gates
a Cross-Country Rider
from Powell, TN
Date Reviewed: July 28, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Bottom Line: | A follow-up to my last posting: The tires are still holding up well after a couple months. The waffle-like tread in the center is still intact, unlike those on some other reviewer's |
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